Method of and apparatus for distillation.



H. A. FRASCH.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12. 1911.

1,318,657. Patented Oct. 14,1919.

HANS A. FRASGH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLA'IION'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

Application filed January 12, 1917. Serial No. 142,028.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HANs'A. FRASCH, a citizenof the United States, residing at s New York, in the county of New Yorkand State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Methods of and Apparatus for Distillation, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide for the separation andrecovery of volatile matters or fluids of fixed specific gravity andboiling point from substances composed of or containing a mixture ofseveral volatile ingredients differing in and having various specificgravities and boiling points, and more particularly tothe separation andre covery of petroleum products of various specific gravities byfractional distillation.

It is well known that distillates from petroleum and coal tar and thelike, of different boiling points, may be separated from each other bymeans of differential condensers by the proper adjustment of thetemperatures of the condensers; and as distinguished from this priorart, my present invention provides for obtaining separately from oneanother and rectifying. the vapors of volatile substances independentlyof the condensers, or in combination with the same, in-such manner as topermit the recovery of a number of fractional distillates of variousfixed and desired boiling points in one and the same operation; and theinvention also consists in an apparatus for carrying out the process,composed of one or more units and operating periodically or continuouslyas may be desired, all as I will proceed now to explain and finallyclaim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a single unit embodying the principleof the invention, and Fig. 2 is a similar view of a series of connectedunits under a somewhat different arrangement.

Referring now more particularly to the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, 1 isthe still body suitably supported to receive eXternally applied heat,and adapted to contain a heating agent 2, which may be of any suitablematerial, and 3 is a retort arranged in the still body, with its openinner end iminersed in the heating agent 2, and supplied with the fluidto be distilled through the feed pipe 4, and having a vapor outlet pipe5 which opens into a condenser 6 heated to the desired degree anddischarging its vapor through the pipe-7 into an unheated condenser 8which in turn opens into a receiver 9 from which the oil maybe drawnthrough any suitable outlet as valve 10. This receiver may beprovided'with a vent 11. The con' densation products collecting in thecondenser-are discharged through pipe 12' into a receiver 13 and suchproducts'may be removed from that receiver through the discharge valve14 for such use or such further treatment as may be desired. Thecondenser and its receiver, 13 may be connected by an equalizer pipe 15.The condenser 6 may be any of'the common and well known condensers inwhich the condensate moves in a direction opposite to the vapor and maybe returned to the still or conveyed to another vaporizer or to anothervessel for further treatment.

Such portions of the heavier fiuidunder treatment as escape through theopen end of the retort 3 into the heating agent 2, are vaporized, andthis vapor escapes from the 'still body 1 through pipe 16 into a condenser 17 which also may be unheated, and this heavier condensationproduct is then discharged into the receiver 18 from which it may bewithdrawn for use or further treatment through valve 19. This receiverlikewise may have a vent 20. --The still body preferably is providedwith an overflow pipe 21 opening into a vessel 22 preferably surroundedby a water-cooler 23 and having an automatic or other discharge 2 1. Theupper end of the overflow vessel 22 is connected with the vapor chamberof the still body by means of an equalizerpip'e 25.

While. the invention is not limited to the treatment of any particularsubstance, still for a concrete example, the operation of the apparatuswill be described in connection with the distillation of petroleum. Inthat case the heating agent 2 may bethe tarry residue of distillation,kept at a relatively high heat, as already suggested, and the petroleumto be distilled is fed into the re tort 3 through the feed pipe 1, andas it is exposed to the heat in the still body, the vapor of light oilsescapes through the pipe 5 into the condenser 6, which may be kept atany desired temperature, where the vapor of the heavier oil condenseswhile the vapor of the lighter oils passes into a condenser 8 of lowertemperature and thence is discharged into the receiver 9. The heavierproducts of condensation pass from thecondenser 6 through pipe 12 intothe receiver 13. The vapor of the heaviest products which collects inthe vapor chamber in the still body itself above the heating agent 2,escapes through pipe 16 into the condenser 17 and thence is collected inthe receiver 18. The condensers 6 and 17 and receivers 13 and 18 may belocated sufliciently high .to permit the products of condensation to bereturned by gravity to the retort; or the heavier condensates may beforced by pump or other suitable means back into the retort ofthis sameunit or to another unit to be further treated.

Units in any number, depending upon the desired fractionation of thearticle under treatment, may be assembled in a variety of ways, andcapable of difierential control to meet the requirements of theoperator, and as one such illustration, reference is made to theassembly shown in Fig. 2, wherein there are three retorts shown asconnected for continuous operation and .for the separation of at leastthree bodies of differentspecific gravities. In this case the still bodymay be made up of a series of connected vessels 26 of suitable shape andmaterial,

jointed together at 27. That is to say, the

still body in this instance maybe composed of a series of sectionssuitably connected and of suitable shape and adapted to receive theseveral retorts 28, 2.9'and 30 of like construction essentially andsimilar in construction to the retort 3 previously described. If it bedesired to segregate the several retorts, bridgeiplates' 31 may beinterposed in the joints of the sections with theirlower ends sealed inthe heating agent, and in this case each section will be proyided with avapor outlet 32 and these several vapor outlets may open into a commonpipe 33 leading to a condenser 34 which in turn opens into a receiver35. Each retort has its own vapor outlet 36, 37 and 38, whichrespectively open into condensers 39, 40 and 41 of similar type to thecondenser 6, Fig. 1, and these condensers may be maintained atdifi'erent temperatures. densers may discharge their vapor into a commonpipe 42 .which in turn discharges into a condenser 43, and the productsof condensation from this condenser may be dis charged into a receiver44 which is con nected with the" condenser 43 by an equalizer pipe 45and has a valvular discharge outlet 46 and .a vent 47 and a pressuregage 48. In this arrangement the products of condensation oftheicondenser 39 escape through pipe 49 into retort 29 in whichthey arevolatilized,and the products of condensa These several con- 50 intoretort 30, and the products of condensation from condenser 41 areconducted through pipe 51 to any suitable receiver for furthertreatment. In this case theo'verflow vessel 52, corresponding to theoverflow vessel 22 of Fi 1, is arranged atthe end section containing theretort 30 and similarly connected therewith. A valvular connection 53between the still body and the overflow tank may be provided for use inremoving the heating agent from the still body.

As will be understood, the fluid to be treated is introduced throughpipe 54 into the retort 28- and the lighter vapor escapes into thecondenser 39 and is condensed therein at a given or desired temperature,

- while the products of condensation pass the residual tar or residue asit accumulates in the retorts passes thence by gravity into the body ofthe heating agent, and any unvolatilized remainder passes thence to theoverflow tank 52, and is removed therefrom as may be desired.

The operation may be conducted under atmospheric or higher or lowerpressure as may be required.

While I haye described here the use of my invention in connection withthe treatment of petroleum; I wish it to be under stood that theinvention'is not to be limited to this particular substance, but can beapplied in every instance where, volatile substances are to be separatedand recovered, and more particularly it is applicable to thedistillation'of coal tar products, turpentine, glgcerin and the like.

he heating agent or medium also is not limited to the residual productof the substance subjected to distillation, but may be any other organicor inorganic substance which will not volatilize at the temperaturerequired to carry out the process, and it may be of a nature to react,if desired, with the matter under treatment, so as to bring about"chemical alteration of the volatile substances while at the same timeserving as a heating medium. I

As already sufficiently indicated, the in vention is not limited to thedetails of conpass through thebottom o'f .theretort into the body of thestill, thence conductlng the vapors of higher boiling point generatedtherein to another condenser, and utilizing the residue as a heatingmedium for the retort. r

2. The method of obtaining and separatinglighter from heavierconstituents of volatile substances, consisting in charging thesubstance'into a retort which is immersedin a heatin ,medium containedin a still body and .of higher boiling point, exposing. the retort andits contents to the temperature necessary to efi'e-ct volatihzation,conducting the vapors from the retort to-a suitable con denser, andallowing the residue of higher boiling still b heating medium of theretort while conducting the vapor generated within the still body toanother condenser. L

3. The method of separating lighter from heavier constituents of volatle substances, consisting. in exposing the substance to the temperaturenecessary to effect volatilization of the desired products in a retortarranged Within a'distilling vessel and having an outlet submerged in aheating agent contained in the body of the distilling vessel, saidheat-- ing agent having a higher boiling-point than the desired productsand bein maintained at the proper temperature to e ect theirvolatilization, and by the addition of fresh volatile substance intotheretort displacing the non-volatilized residue from'the retortintoopening into said body and immersed in a fluid heating agent 01E higherboiling point contained therein, the method of separating the lighterfrom the heavier constituents, Jwhich consists in charging the retortwith the hydrocarbon, conducting the resulting vapor from the retort toa condenser, allowture, conveying the condensate to another oint in theretort to pass into the y, and using such residue for the ing theresidue pass from the retort into the heatin agent and therein exposingit to volatiliz'atlon, and conducting the ,vapor t th u s last generatedto another condenser; 5. The method of separating lighter fromheavierconstituents of a volatile substance by exposing the substance in aretort to the temperature necessary to effect therein v0latilization,said retort having an open end submerged in a heatin agent contained inthe body of a still and aving a higher boiling oint than the, desiredproducts, conductlng the resulting vapor from theretort to a cendenserkept at adesired temperasimilar retort and repeating this operation'until the desired fractionatlon is obtained,- and at the same timeconveying away and condensing the vapors escaping from the, condensersand the vapor generated.- in the body of the still from theresidue oftheseveral retorts.

,6. The method of distilling hydro'carbons, consisting in exposingthesubstance to the required temperature ina retort ar-- ranged in the bodyof a' stilland having an open end submerged in a heating agent composedof a heav hydrocarbon contained in the still, maintaining such heatingagent at x a temperature suflicient to volatilize the dei sired'constituents, of the hydrocarbons, con.- ductingthe resnltin vapor fromthe retort to acondenser at a fesired temperature, and conducting thecondensate to another similar retort, the residue from the retortpassv100 ing into-the heating agent, and an vapors there generated.bemgcondudted om'the still body to a condenser, and repeating the ofieration until the desired fractionation is e ected. I

7. The method ofidistilling petroleum by exposing the petroleum inaretort to a temperature necessary to efl'ect thereinvolatilization, saidretort'having an open end submerged in a heatingagen-t contained in thebody of a still and having a higher boiling point than the desiredproducts, conducting the resultmg vapor to a condenser, and sub-\Jecting the condensate to further distillation. t 8. Themethod ofdistilling petroleum by exposing the petroleum in a retort to a tem--perature necessary to effect therein volatilization, said retort havingan open end submerged in a heating agent contained in the body of astill'and having a higher boiling pomtthan the desired products,conducting the resultmgvapor to a condenser, subjectf ing the condensateto further distillation,

and discharging the residue from the retort 125. nto the heating agentand recoverin therefrom the vapors -,generated in the stilbody bysuitable condensation.

9'. The method of distilling etroleum,

consisting in exposing the petrol euminalso series of retorts which aremounted to extend within the body of a distilling vessel, to the actionof a fluid heating agent in said distilling vessel, and discharging thevapor into condensers and the residue into the body of the distillingvessel wherein it becomes the heating agent of all the retorts when heatis applied to the distilling vessel.

10. The method of distilling petroleum, which consists in exposing thepetroleum contained in a series of retorts successively to the action ofa fluid heating agent in the body of a still, said retorts having openends submerged in such heating agent which latter has a higher boilingpoint than the desired products, said retorts discharging their vaporinto condensers successively, and maintaining the temperature of theseveral condensers at the requisite degree to obtain distillates ofdesired gravity and boiling point.

11. Distilling apparatus of the character described, comprisingessentially a still body containing a fluid heating agent, a retortwithin the still body and dipping into the heating agent, a condenserconnected with the retort, means to recover the condensate and means forreturning the condensate to the heating agent.

12. Distilling apparatus of the character described, comprising aretort, a stillv body containing a fluid heating agent in which theretort is exposed, means to charge the retort independently of the stillbody, a vapor outlet for the retort, a residue outlet for the retortopening into the heating agent and immersed therein, means to conductaway any vapor from the still body, and

separate condensers connected respectively with the vapor outlet of theretort and 4C vapor outlet of the still body.

13. Distilling apparatus of the character described, comprising a stillbody containing a fluid heating agent, retorts arranged in the stillbody and adapted to receive the substance to be distilled, each retorthaving a vapor outlet and an outlet opening into and immersed in theheating agent and adapted to discharge the residue into the still body,and a condenser for each of the retorts adapted to convey its condensateto one or another of the retorts for further distillation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day ofJanuary A. D. 55

HANS A. FRASCH. Witnesses:

WM. H. 'FINGKEL, W. H. FINCKEL, Jr.

